It was Hippocrates that famously said “all disease starts in the gut” - he was wise beyond his time! In fact, many of the chronic diseases we face today are caused by an unbalanced microbiome.
For years, Tina Anderson worked as a general counsel for a family pharmaceutical business. But the more she stayed, the more she realized how abusive that industry is - the over-prescribing, for instance, or reps lobbying doctors to prescribe medication to more people, even those who don’t need it yet. Or friends who, after starting one pharmaceutical, suddenly had to take ten more to balance the side effects. You can’t fault the business model: one drug lowers blood pressure but causes joint pain, so you have to take another pill to reduce joint pain but that one damages your stomach, so you take a third pill to counter the stomach problems but that one causes poor circulation, and so on.
Tina had gone into the pharmaceutical business because she wanted to help people improve their health, so she was appalled by what was really going on. Even though there is a place for pharmaceuticals (like in emergency situations), they are not the answer when it comes to healing chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders. These are lifestyle illnesses, and therefore must be healed by a change in lifestyle, not a drug.
When Tina began researching natural health, particularly gut health, she was blown away. What she found led her to patent a powerful and unique probiotic strain, and launch the probiotic company Just Thrive. Now, she’s on a mission to help more people naturally heal their gut, and thrive.
What’s the deal with gut health?
The microbiome affects almost every aspect of your physical health. And it’s being impacted on a daily basis by our modern lifestyles: antibiotics, glyphosate, toxins, processed food, stress, all these things create an imbalance in the gut, also known as dysbiosis. This happens when bad bacteria takes over the good bacteria. The other big issue is leaky gut, which over 80% of adults suffer from without even realizing it.
What is leaky gut?
Leaky gut is a condition characterized by tiny holes in your intestinal wall which allow undigested particles (like LPS toxins) from your gut leak into your blood stream. Your immune system doesn’t recognize these particles, and attacks by launching an inflammatory response. This is at the root of all autoimmune disorders, but also other chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
What causes leaky gut?
Glyphosate is one of the biggest problems. It’s a pesticide, but it’s actually registered as an antibiotic. Unlike medical antibiotics that target both the good and bad bacteria, glyphosate only targets the good bacteria. So why is it still allowed to be used? Because they say it doesn’t affect human cells. The problem with that statement is that we’re made up of 90% bacterial cells. Which means glyphosate does affect us. Eating organic is a must, and eating fermented foods helps… but it’s vital to repopulate the good bacteria in the gut - and you do that with a probiotic.
Which is the best strain of probiotic to take?
Most probiotics are very sensitive. Lactobacillus, for example, don’t survive the gastric system. But bacillus ARE able to survive the gastric system - which means they get to your gut because they’re not destroyed by your stomach. These strains reverse the damage done by glyphosate, and even reduce levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone).
I haven’t used another probiotic since I’ve tried Just Thrive, it’s THAT good - I take it every day. Want to give it a try? Use the FOODHEALS10 for 10% off at www.thriveprobiotic.com.
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
On today’s bonus episode I am getting real with you, sharing my story - my physical, emotional, spiritual and financial journey that has led me to exactly where I am today.
And though it’s been tough, traumatic, and painful at times, I know now that it was all perfect. But, it took me some time to be able to see it that way. I have done deep healing, spiritual work on myself. And I’m not done.
I don’t think we are ever done healing, but I am at the point in my life finally where I am willing to share unapologetically exactly who I am, what I have been through and what I stand for. To stop playing small. To be bold and brave.
I now tell my story everywhere I can. From an Instagram post, to the podcast, to my film, to my book, to speaking on stages across the US and internationally I am speaking my truth.
The crazy thing about sharing my story is it has led to me living a beautiful, sexy, amazing life that I literally never thought I could have. Opening up about myself has unlocked magic and so by sharing my story with you today I hope it encourages you to share yours as well. You never know who out there needs to heal it.
So you may know I am finishing up my book, Food Heals. Today I wanted to start the podcast by reading you the introduction. This has not been edited yet. This is raw, this is me. It may change before it is published, who knows? But here is my story as of today.
How does food affect our lives? We know it affects the body… but your whole life? Yes! It’s the most available tool, the one that can spark the most change! Think about it. If you’re stuck in a body you hate, struggling with health issues, or just feeling sluggish and unhealthy, how can you shine your bright light out into the world? These five fellow Spirit Junkies and wellness-preneurs transformed their body, business, and life through food.
Meg Sylvester
Food had a massive impact on Meg’s life…. AND business. Her entire spiritual awakening was linked with food. For years, she had suffered from daily migraines, acne, depression, stomach issues, lethargy. She even thought she had a brain tumor. But she couldn’t get a diagnosis. But doctors would check her bloods and tell her she was fine.
It was reading Grain Brain and The Universe Has Your Back that flicked a switch on the food/mood/soul connection. She became obsessed with the idea of functional medicine, root cause medicine - of finding the root cause of what was triggering her issues. Suddenly she felt empowered to shift out of victim mentality into lighthouse mentality, and answer her soul’s calling. Changing what she ate meant she overcame all her issues and had the energy and mental clarity to follow her dreams. That’s what propelled her out of her corporate job and into her current work - coaching others find the root cause of their limiting beliefs, uproot them and, step into a vibrant life.
Meg is now a spiritual entrepreneur on a mission to inspire others to build the purpose driven business of their dreams. In just one year after completing Spirit Junkie Masterclass, Meg’s led four beautiful and powerful women’s retreats. The next one is a women’s self-awakening and connection retreat in Guatemala - where you can connect with the earth, the Mayan culture and try sacred plant medicine. It’s in October and there are a few spots left. Go to her website for more details.
Kelly Lynn Adams
As a type A personality, Kelly was always doing, always striving, always busy, and never taking time out for herself. Little wonder, she was burnt out and struggling with her weight and autoimmune issues. Kelly knew that if she felt better, she’d do better, and she was determined to do something better with her life. So, she stared watching what she was eating, drinking tons of water, moving her body. She lost 40 pounds and healed her chronic thyroid condition, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. How? By mimicking fasting with ProLon - getting her body to think it’s fasting, when you’re actually eating.
Of course, it was a mental journey as well as food. For Lynn, it was about focusing on the present moment, rather than future-tripping. Visualizations, affirmations, and believing before seeing. Detoxing from junk foods, but also junk thoughts, junk people, even junk content (like the news!!). Spirit Junkie Masterclass helped Lynn to trust and know that everything is working out for her highest good. Since then, her career has pivoted, because that trust allowed her to align her business with what matters to her.
Kelly is a certified business leadership and life coach, writer, motivational speaker. She has helped thousands of women build their businesses, shift their mindset and step into their divine power. Check her out at www.kellylynnadams.com.
Michelle De Matheu
Michelle had a spiritual awakening when she recovered from anorexia. She was working as a fashion designer, living in New York, living the dream she’d had since she was 4. But she felt disconnected with her body. She didn’t know how to love herself. Her aha moment came when she realized her eating disorder was a teacher, that it was opening the door to freedom. She knew she had to peel back the layers, forgive and fall in love with herself.
Michelle used yoga and meditation to reconnect with her body. Reading about the benefits of food helped her reshape her beliefs around eating. By looking at the benefits of food, rather than counting calories, helped her realize that food could help her, and was not something to be afraid of. On this journey, she began to share her struggles, what she was learning and her passion for healing food.
For Michelle, the best thing about Spirit Junkie Masterclass is the community, the powerful spirit junkie tribe that keeps her motivated and keeps her energy up. The class also gave her the tools to apply spiritual principles to her business routine and gave her the kick to take action, come out of the spiritual business closet, and step into what she really felt called to do. Now, she’s a mind, body and soul stylist, a motivator, life coach and speaker who supports people to transform their lives from the inside out.
Michelle’s powerful self-love practices:
Alana Haldan
Vegan recipe developer, food photographer and blogger behind Sprouts and Krauts. Alana turns the produce from her garden into delicious, colorful, plant-based food.
Making the shift to veganism completely changed Alana’s life journey. She originally tried veganism because she wanted a quick fix to get fit and lose weight before a big event. But within a few weeks, she saw the ethical and environmental aspects it was having and that’s what kept her on the path. From being a graphic designer, she went back to school to learn how to implement vegan cooking and nutrition in her life and share it with the world.
Now, she runs the vegan blog sproutsandkrauts, which is all about fermented foods and recipes made from the produce she grows in her garden.
For Alana, food is all about connection. Being aware of the mind body connection - eating in a way that serves the body and helps you get to your highest self. So many people are stuck in a cycle of eating foods that make them feel sluggish and depressed. But it’s possible to choose foods that enhance health, that nourish the body and nourish the soul. And being vegan doesn’t just help your body, it helps the planet and the animals.
After taking Spirit Junkie Class Digital, Alana learnt to tap into her own potential and know that it’s imperative to share her gifts with the world. It helped her become more aware of her own food triggers and go from using food to numb her emotions to using food to nourish body and soul. Connect with her on Instagram!
Dano González
Yoga and meditation teacher, angel therapist practitioner and oracle card reader, medium, and owner of Numen yoga restaurant.
Dano used to be a carnivore. He ate meat three times a day. But one day he realized he felt angry all the time, and stressed, and anxious, and always sleepy. He began meditating, and that allowed him to realize that what he was putting in his mouth was affecting his entire being. He began to eat more plant foods, and things began to shift.
Did you know meat has no energy, or prana? Worse, it has the energy of the animal that was tortured and killed. Fear, anger, suffering - these energies are in the meat and end up in your body. Organic vegetables, on the other hand, energize you, cleanse you, and improve your intuition.
How to detox and start shifting your health:
Dano opened his restaurant Nümen to help people eat healthy plant-based foods that are so full of flavor it encourages them to open their minds to make the transition to veganism.
Since Spirit Junkie Masterclass, Dano found his voice, found his story, claimed his power and found a family. The first class he launched afterward the course attracted over 3k followers. “Spirit Junkie helps us be the spiritual leaders that our hearts are calling us to be.” Dano’s advice when it comes to Spirit Junkie: “You have to do it, and your life is going to change for the best.”
Follow him on Instagram!
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
Today’s episode is all about doing what you love and making an income from it.
We all have a story to share. We all have a passion. If you’ve been thinking about swapping your 9 to 5 for a life more aligned with what you love to do, then this episode is for you.
There has never been another you. And you have a special gift that you can bring to the world. Your unique blend of talents, skills and perspective is needed. So in a way…. There is no competition. What do you have to offer the world?
Whitney Lauritsen
Whitney coaches other people how to do what they love and make a loving from it. Her brand Creative Wellth helps content creators and small business owners who are helping others live healthier lives, in harmony with the environment. Her latest course teaches how you can monetize your content (37 different ways to do so!). You can share your passion with the world AND get money from it. Forget working a job you hate. Your career should be complementary to the things you love and to your purpose.
Lauren’s Tip:
Figure out your money issues. We all have them and they get in the way, especially if you’re trying to generate income. Money Love Story is a great book on the emotional angle of money. You’re a Badass at Making Money helps you figure out the emotional things that are getting in your way of financial abundance.
Nicole Derseweh
Lauren is a vegan chef, YouTube personality, and hosts the BEST popups in LA. Her advice: find your special sauce. That thing that makes you YOU, that quirk and passion, your light and dark. Own it. If you’re true to you, it makes you relatable, people want to do business with someone who’s authentic.
Nicole’s Tip:
When Meryl Streep started her acting career, she would treat every role like it was the dream role of a lifetime. Use that in your business. It doesn’t matter how many people show up for your event, or whether that first gig isn’t paid. Show up like it’s a packed house. Even if it’s a tiny project, give it your all. The Universe will give you a bigger opportunity the next time.
Jason Wrobel
He’s a lifestyle coach, vegan chef and nutrition edutainer. His mission is to reduce suffering and increase joy in this world.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s FINE! We’re all just making it up as we go. Most successful people did not know what they were doing, they were just following their passion. You can’t be afraid to stumble on the way.
Jason’s tip:
Look at your business like you look at investing. The more sources of income you have, the more stable your income source. Diversify your investment. Carve out the uniqueness of who you are and trust that the more of yourself you reveal, the more people will embrace you.
How to start your journey to your dream career:
There’s only love or fear to choose. Do you trust that the Universe has your back? At some point you have to jump from the security of your 9 to 5 to your own business. You have to have trust that you can do it.
Remove the blocks to your income and creativity with Soul on Fire Retreats Founder Heather Fantin
Heather is a spiritual breakthrough coach, on a mission to help you heal your relationship with you. She’s just launched her year-long personal group coaching program called the Inner Circle. Check out Episode 156 for her inspiring story.
Alli and Heather met at Level 2 Spirit Junkie Master Class. For Heather, Spirit Junkies are a global movement of people returning to love and sharing that with the wider world. More and more of us are waking up. If there’s something inside you that’s feeling unsettled, if you feel like there must be something more to life than this. Even if you’re not clear on your future, there’s yearning for deeper meaning and direction. When this happens, you will be guided to your new path, you’ll be guided to the teachers you need.
The number one thing people struggle with when they start their heart-centered business is feeling like it’s not ok to charge for their services. You’ve got to get over that. There’s nothing spiritual about you not being able to pay your rent.
The first step is awareness. Tune in and get clear about what your belief is around money and making money for something that you love. Write them down, look at them. You’ll probably find most of these beliefs aren’t even yours, they come from things you heard in your childhood. Let them go, forgive them, release them.
Use the same technique to look at what’s holding you back. Are you avoiding showing up? Are you spending all your time binge-watching Netflix? Do you feel stuck? Are you comparing yourself so much that you feel paralyzed? Can you turn your fear into faith? You’re not working alone - the Universe is always supporting you.
Once you’ve released those limiting beliefs, it’s time to create your new story. What’s the opposite, positive, empowering belief? Write it down. This creates affirmations that will work, because you’ve done the deep work to support them. Give yourself permission to follow your dreams and to succeed. Look for evidence that supports your new beliefs. Trust that when you start looking, the Universe will give you what you need, whether it’s inspiration, teachers, guidance or opportunities.
You must go beyond just speaking the words. You need to get into a feeling state. Because the universe responds to the feeling, not the words. Affirmations won’t work if you’re not feeling them. See yourself living your perfect life, visualize as many details, feelings, emotions as you can - how will you feel when you live that life?
Most importantly, get rid of the guilt you might feel for wanting to do what you love. Remember - it’s bigger than you. You’re doing the world a disservice by keeping your unique gifts to yourself. This is your higher calling to help heal others and help heal the world. Whatever this calling looks like to you - it might be music, it might be food, it might be healing, it might be teaching, it might be anything at all. Just be authentically you, trust that you’re right where you need to be and that you are always being guided.
Make Your Passion Your Paycheck with Alida McDaniel
Alida is an intuitive life strategist, personal trainer and culinary artist on a mission to help people thrive doing what they love. Check out her story on Episodes 43, 65 and 80 to find out how she lost 80 pounds and healed herself of a multitude of health issues.
We all want to escape the 9 to 5…. But we’re afraid of what that looks like, especially from a financial perspective. When passion becomes your paycheck, your money mindset shifts. Instead of seeing it as evil something you get after you sit at a desk being bored, money becomes something you receive for doing something that you love. That is a powerful change.
It’s time to stop seeing money as something evil, something to feel guilty about. Non-profits need to make money to help change the world. So why not be that person who makes so much money that you can fund the non-profits?
Living your passion does not necessarily mean setting up on your own - you might be an independent contractor, a writer, a maker, a teacher. You just have to find that thing that makes you smile, that makes your heart sing. The moment you step into passion, the universe responds in kind.
So how do you start living in passion? Here are Alida’s top tips:
Your gift of passion is meant to be shared with the world. Who are you to deny that gift? Don’t procrastinate. Don’t prevent yourself from receiving that abundance. The world needs your unique talents.
You can get in touch with Alida at alida@alidamcdaniel.com.
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
If you’re struggling with your health, chances are it started in your gut. Supporting your microbiome is the first step towards optimal wellness.
What’s in your gut?
What is your microbiome? Basically, it’s the community of friendly bacteria living in your gut. And they rule everything - from releasing hormones and neurotransmitters, to affecting how you think and feel. If you take care of them, they will take care of you.
The gut keeps you safe from autoimmune conditions, like multiple sclerosis, and chronic diseases. Why? First, you need to know that 70% of your immune system is in your gut. Inflammation, which is the root cause of disease, begins in the gut microbiome. Your gut bacteria creates inflammatory responses as a result of certain triggers - usually a combination of diet, stress, medications, toxins etc. Chronic inflammation happens when the immune system doesn’t shut off this response, and ends up attacking itself.
By giving the microbiome what it needs, you can stop this inflammatory response, and reverse chronic disease and autoimmune conditions.
The composition of your gut is completely unique to you. That means that your journey to healing will be different to someone else’s. It’s no use simply jumping on the latest health trend. You need to take a closer look at your body to work out the approaches that will work for you. This means working with someone who understands the gut microbiome and how to heal it.
The Gut Doctor
Dr. Marvin Singh is an integrative gastroenterologist. He went to med school, but he wasn’t a healthy doctor. He was overweight and had early signs of fatty liver disease. As he reflected on this, he realized how little he knew about nutrition. So he enrolled in an integrative medicine fellowship, and discovered there’s more to health than the standard pharmaceutical methods. He began applying what he’d learnt to his own life and within 3 months he had lost 40 pounds. He realized he could help people heal themselves by taking a comprehensive approach - one that brings together nutrition, genetics and meditation. So now he combines some of the conventional methods with holistic, integrative medicine and nutritional genetics to guide his patients back towards total wellness.
Your Lifestyle and Your Gut
Although we’re all different, we all share one commonality: if you give your body the chance to do what it wants to do, what it’s naturally designed to do, then it will do the best it can. The body is designed to heal itself if you give it the tools it needs. And while those tools differ slightly from person to person, there are certain common approaches that will work for everyone. Diet and nutrition play a huge role, but so does your overall quality of life. Dr. Singh begins with a back to basics look at your lifestyle:
Dr. Singh’s Tips for Healing:
Dr. Singh’s message is an optimistic one: everyone can get well, you just have to work with someone who understands you and helps you get to that point. Remember that the path to wellness is not a punishment, you can have fun while learning and trying new things. Check out Dr. Singh’s free e-book, the 4-Week Gut Reset, or send him a message on social media.
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody with guest co-hosts like Suzy Hardy, Leslie Durso, Whitney Lauritsen, Sophie Uliano and more – all self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy show provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
Ever since she was a she was a child, Laura Powers saw ghosts and spirits. She knew this made her different, so she tried to block out and ignore her gift. But her sight only got stronger and more intense. In college, things got too much - she sometimes couldn’t tell between ghosts and “real” people. This took her to breaking point, physically and spiritually. But she fought back, by tackling her health (check out Episode 260 to find out how she healed her body from the inside) and by learning to connect with the angelic presences all around.
We all go through tough times, and sometimes this can be a lonely experience. But if you’re feeling stuck, it’s ok to ask for guidance. It’s ok to ask angels.
Who are angels?
Angels are divine beings of light, souls that have crossed over and returned here as guides and helpers. They are here to help us with our life missions. They’re not limited by physical reality, so they can do many things at once. They WANT to help. And they can assist you with anything - whether it’s landing that dream job or finding a parking spot. How do you ask? Just make sure you’re clear and specific about the help you want, and speak it out loud. They are listening.
Busting the fortune teller myth
Let’s bust a myth right now: a psychic is a NOT fortune teller. We have free will and choices. Psychics can’t really tell the future. There might be a general plan for you, but ultimately you decide what happens in your life. When Laura gives a reading, she does it based on what she senses from you right now - however, you can change that path by making different choices, if you want to. You can manifest whatever you desire.
Yes, it’s easy to get stuck into societally acceptable goals and lose sight of what makes you truly happy, what you’re really passionate about. When you learn to listen to your higher self and your guides, you align with what’s meant to be your path and purpose. Laura can help you connect with that higher you. Click here to book a psychic reading with Laura.
Pets - your soul tribe and spirit guides:
Did you know your pets say a lot about you? They’re part of your soul tribe, and chances are you were connected in a previous life. Your dog might have been your horse, your cat might have been your sister. If your pet is troubled, they’re mirroring something that is going on in your life, that you might not even be aware of. If they’ve crossed over, they still want to communicate with you and protect you. Tune into this episode to hear Laura connecting with Alli’s dog Charlotte and Vince’s childhood pet D.O.G., and the jaw-dropping messages they have for their owners from the other side. You can book a reading with Laura and connect with your pets, whether they’re still with you or have passed on.
Learning from past lives:
What can you learn from your past life? Tons. By looking at what happened in previous lives we can better understand what’s happening in our life today. Whatever’s happening right now, we’ve already gone through it in the past. If you have trouble with boundaries, receiving, or relationships - often counselling doesn’t go deep enough because it only deals with your present state. But if you can get into your ancestral past, then you can get insight into what you need to learn and how you can heal. Traumatic experiences from past lives could be dictating phobias in your present, and letting those experiences go can zap those fears into nothingness. Laura does past life readings to connect you with your past life and help you thrive in the present.
True Crime:
Do police work with psychics? Maybe they should… Laura also helps families who have been victims of crime, to discover the truth and let go.
Tune in to hear her readings about these crimes:
Ultimately, we all have the power of psychic vision… but we lose it early on because society doesn’t accept it. If you want to unblock your gifts, check out Laura’s psychic training!
She’ll be back for a special Halloween episode to talk about ghosts, spirits, and the afterlife. We can’t wait!
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!